Chapter 186
Chapter 186
Janet returned home and invited Ethan to join the ball with her.
"A masquerade ball?" Ethan asked breathlessly. Ethan was doing pushups on the balcony. He did a dozen more pushups before standing up. Then, he grabbed a bottle of water, gulped it down, and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "When?"
Janet raked her eyes across the chiseled muscles on his waist. A blush flamed her cheeks, so she quickly averted her gaze and looked at the towering buildings in the distance. "Saturday... Saturday night." Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.
With a pensive look on his face, Ethan thought for a while. Then, he threw the empty bottle into the trashcan, walked over to Janet, and stroked her hair. "I'm on night shift in the convenience store that day. I can pick you up after the party ends though."
That night, Ethan was going to attend the party as Brandon, so of course he couldn't go with Janet as Ethan.
Several veterans and big shots would be attending the party. It would be respectable only if Brandon Larson himself attended the party and received them.
"Can't you trade your shift with someone else? All my colleagues will bring their partners along." Janet leaned against the glass door, blocking Ethan's way.
Ethan's response seemed to increase her suspicion. "Then, I won't go either. Everyone at the ball will have a partner. I'll feel left out." Then Janet's eyes widened as she turned to look at Ethan as if she had come up with a great idea. "Or I can ask if any of my male colleagues can accompany me."
A frown lined Ethan's forehead. He saw Janet running toward the sofa to grab her phone. It looked like she was sending a message to someone.
He quickly put on the black T-shirt lying on the sofa and sat beside her. "I didn't say I can't ask for leave that day," he said, taking the phone from her.
"Your expression told me that you don't want to come with me." Janet looked at him with big innocent doe eyes.
Ethan wiped the sweat off his face and smiled helplessly. "Well, what can I say? You'll really be the death of me." He smiled and returned the phone to her.
However, that wasn't the answer Janet expected to hear. "Will you be joining me or not?"
Ethan picked up his phone and waved it at her. "I'm calling the convenience store now to ask for leave."
Going to the ball with Janet seemed more important to him now. Ethan decided to switch between his two identities. That way, he could hit two birds with one stone. After all, he didn't have to show up as Brandon for too long.
*******
On the evening of the party.
Ethan and Janet arrived at the venue hand in hand. Everyone was wearing a mask.
In addition to its own employees, the Larson Group had also invited some of its partners in the entertainment circle. Fashion models from Fashion Week and female soap opera stars also graced the event.
However, the light in the banquet hall was dim, and they all had masks on their faces. Recognizing even the most well-known people seemed like a difficult task.
Janet strolled around the dance floor. She wanted to find Brandon.
"I need to go to the bathroom." Ethan let go of her wrist and broke out of the crowd.
Janet nodded and secretly followed him to the bathroom.
The light was brighter here. Janet's eyes were fixed on Ethan, so she didn't notice the woman walking toward her. The woman bumped against Janet, almost spilling the wine on her beautiful, long dress.
"Ah! Are you blind? Don't you have eyes?" The woman bellowed in rage.
"I'm sorry. I'm looking for someone," Janet said as her eyes continued to search for Ethan.
The woman was also wearing a mask, but she still looked like a regal beauty. She was wearing an elegant dress, and her assistant accompanied her, so Janet concluded the woman was a celebrity.
However, her eyes widened when she saw the woman's light green silk dress.
They both were wearing almost the same outfit.